Pedraz postpones Narbona's statement in the 'Leire case' to July 15 after the death of the socialist leader's mother

The judge of the Audiencia Nacional, Santiago Pedraz, has reordered the calendar of statements planned in the so-called 'Leire case' after postponing the appearance as a witness of the president of the PSOE, Cristina Narbona. The socialist leader, who was supposed to appear this Friday at the Audiencia Nacional, will finally testify on July 15 after, according to legal sources informed EFE, the court was notified of the recent death of the president's mother.

The new date set for Narbona will also coincide with two other appearances already scheduled for that day. On July 15, Diego Villafañe and Beatriz López are also summoned, who worked in the team of the State Attorney General's Office during Álvaro García Ortiz's time at the helm. According to sources from the Prosecutor's Office, both held two meetings with the lawyer Jacobo Teijelo, defender of Santos Cerdán, between March and April 2025, as well as with a woman who was introduced to them as a colleague from his office, in allusion to Leire Díez.

The modification of the calendar has also affected the statement of José Norberto Uzal, former senior official of the Xunta de Galicia convicted of VAT fraud in the hydrocarbon sector, whose appearance has been set for July 29.

The messages that have placed Narbona in the investigation

The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office requested Narbona's statement after the Central Operative Unit (UCO) incorporated into the summary a conversation held by WhatsApp with Leire Díez in April 2024. In those messages, the former socialist militant raised the possibility of "redirecting" the attacks directed against the President of the Government, offering "qualified help" and turning the situation "inside out".

According to the police report, Narbona responded by referring to the fact that these issues had already been previously discussed with Santos Cerdán. However, after her summons became known, the president of the PSOE assured that she never received information related to the activity that the Audiencia Nacional is now investigating and expressed her willingness to collaborate with Justice.

The investigation continues

The postponement of these statements does not modify the development of an investigation in which Judge Santiago Pedraz tries to determine whether there was a structure intended to interfere in judicial procedures with political impact. The former socialist militant Leire Díez, the former PSOE Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán, and the lawyer Jacobo Teijelo, among others, are listed as investigated in the case.